Machine for washing and centrifuging laundry



April 1, 1969 c J, uPEuX AL v MACHINE FOR WASHING AND CENT RIFUGING LAUNDRY Filed Jan. 17. 1967 Sheet L of 2 Y. Y vu INVENTORS. CYPRIEN J. DUPEUX JAMES BELAIEFF BY AGENT c. J. DUPEUX MACHINE FOR WASHING AND CENTRIFUGING LAUNDRY Filed Jan. 17, 1967 ETAL April 1, 1969 Sheet FIG.2

IN VENTORS. DUPEUX CYPRIEN J.

JAMES BELAIEFF United States Patent Int. CI. 15061? 29/02 US. Cl. 68-24 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to machines for washing and centrifugal drying and is directed to the supporting structure thereof which permits freedom of movement of the machine in the horizontal and vertical directions thereby stabilizing its operation throughout the speed range of the rotating clothes basket. In the specific form illustrated, the frame of the machine is mounted on wheels which are pivotable about respective axes which are offset from the vertical and have their upper ends inclined towards the center of the frame. The wheels are connected to the frame bottom through an elastic coupling consisting of two interfitting coaxial tubes and a helical spring arranged within the tubes and coaxial therewith and with the axis of the mounting wheels.

The invention rel-ates to a machine for washing and centrifuging laundry, comprising a supporting frame, in which a casing and a washing drum having a non-vertical rotary shaft are accommodated, which parts are interconnected so as to be non-displaceable relative to each other.

It is known that washing and centrifuging machines should have freedom of movement in three relatively orthogonal directions in order to overcome the critical speed during the start of the centrifuge.

In known machines of this type the freedom of movement in the horizontal plane is obtained only by providing the machine with ground wheels. Machines of this kind have the advantage of small dimensions, but they have the disadvantage that in centrifuging only a low speed of rotation can be attained.

Since in the vertical plane the machine does not have a freedom of movement, it tends to jump as soon as the centrifugal forces exerted on the wet washings, not uniformly distributed along the circumference of the drum, exceed the weight of the machine, so that the machine shifts in place each time when the lack of equilibrium of the centrifugal force is in the upper part of the drum.

In practice it is found that a centrifuging speed of 300 rev./min. cannot be exceeded by machines of this kind, even if the machines are provided with ballast usually formed by cast iron blocks.

In a further known type of machines in which centrifuging speeds of higher value are attainable, the freedom of movement is obtained by suspending or supporting the assembly of the drum, the casing and the motor by elastic means to or on the external frame, which is secured to the supporting base or is supported from rollers, which then serve only for facilitating a displacement of the machine.

The use of ballast has the disadvantage that the cost price and the weight of the machines are increased and the displacement, the transport and the installation are rendered more diflicult.

The present invention provides a washing and centrifuging machine which unites the advantages of the two Patented Apr. 1, 1969 aforesaid types and which does not exhibit the disadvantages thereof.

The invention is characterized in that there are provided elastic means allowing a free displacement of the frame with the casing and the drum in a vertical sense and a device allowing a free displacement of said frame in a horizontal plane and in that by means of said device the machine bears on the ground and the elastic means establish the connection between the supporting frame and said device.

An advantageous embodiment of the washing and centrifuging machine according to the invention is characterized in that the supporting frame is a self-supporting structure.

A further advantageous embodiment of the washing and centrifuging machine according to the present invention is characterized in that the washing drum is provided with balancing weights journalled around the drum shaft.

A preferred embodiment of the washing and centrifuging machine according to the invention is characterized in that said elastic means comprise helical springs, the axes of which are at an angle of a few degrees to a vertical line and in that the pivotal axis of each of the pivotal wheels co-operating with said helical springs coincides with the axis of the helical spring concerned; it is furthermore advantageous to have the vertical projections of the ascending parts of the axes of the helical springs located inside the circumference of the base plane of the machine.

In the washing and centrifuging machine according to the invention the freedom of movement in the vertical plane is obtained by the elastic means and in the horizontal plane by the pivotal wheels and their automatic adjustment; the latter movement is not halted by elastic resetting forces.

The washing and centrifuging machine according to the invention permits of attaining a higher centrifugal speed, whilst the dimension may be smaller.

The invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing.

FIGURE 1 shows a sectional view of a washing and centrifuging machine according to the invention comprising a balancing system 1 of the type described in French patent specification 1,351,728. The figure shows only those parts of the machine which are necessary for a good understanding of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the elastic connection between the pivotal wheels and the supporting base of the machine.

The elastic connection is formed by a spring 2, located inside a tube 3, which is secured at one end to the support 4 of the pivotal wheels 5. The length of the spring 2 in the rest position exceeds the length of the tube 3. The tube 3 is accommodated in a tube 6, which is closed at one end and the length of which exceeds the length of the tube 3; one of the ends of the spring 2 bears on the bottom 7 of the tube 6. The open end of the tube 6 is secured to the frame 8 of the machine.

According to the invention the axis XX is at an angle of a few degrees to a vertical line so that a definite orientation of the pivotal wheels is obtained, the supporting plane being thus enlarged and the machine being prevented from taking up a slanting position in one sense or the other.

During the start up to the centrifuging speed of the machine according to the invention the machine performs, for 3 or 4 seconds, a few vibratory movements around the shafts of the pivotal wheels, which turns slightly in one sense and then in the other, after which the balancing members become operative and the machine is stabilized.

What is claimed is:

1. A washing and centrifugal drying machine comprising a frame assembly having a base portion, a casing member secured within said frame assembly, a drum 'ice member positioned and rotatable within said casing member, and means for allowing horizontal movements of said frame assembly and for elastically supporting said frame assembly to allow free vertical movement thereof and of the enclosed casing and drum members, said elastic supporting means comprising a plurality of wheel means arranged at spaced areas of the said b se portion, each of said wheel means being pivotable about a respective given axis fixed with respect to said frame assembly, and a plurality of spring means each interposed between a respective wheel means and said base portion, said spring means each having an axis of movement c0- incident with a respective axis of said wheel means, and the said axis of said wheel means being offset from the vertical With the upper ends of said axis inclined toward the inner region of said frame assembly.

2. A washing and centrifugal drying machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a drum shaft supporting said drum in said casing member and load balancing members journalled around said drum shaft.

3. A washing and centrifugal drying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wheel means comprises wheels having an axis of rotation offset relative to said offset vertical axis.

4. A washing and centrifugal drying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said elastic supporting means comprises a plurality of first tubular members secured to said base portion each at one of said spaced areas and References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,243,565 5/1941 Kimball et al. 210-365 2,275,846 3/1942 Dunham 210365X 2,984,094 5/1961 Belaietf 68--24 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,268,867 6/1961 France. 1,310,607 10/1962 France.

409,390 5/1934 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Ll 1,621, German printed application, Laschet, Nov. 8, 1956.

WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 2l0364 

